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I don't want to UPGRADE the valve train, just replace it eventually with a new unit. My previous BMW experience was a short period of time with a 96 328i I had for 2 years (sold it to get a 2000 328i but it only lasted 7 months)... Long story on that one...

I don't want to UPGRADE the valve train, just replace it eventually with a new unit. My previous BMW experience was a short period of time with a 96 328i I had for 2 years (sold it to get a 2000 328i but it only lasted 7 months)... Long story on that one...

you seem like a nice guy. but please stop with the upgrade this change that. trust me. you'll enjoy your e46 330ci for decades to come as it sits. you don't need to change a damn thing but oil, filters, gaskets, seals. all the typical stuff. everyone here runs their engines 200k and beyond just fine with just oil changes and cooling maintenance. Dmax and ///mpr77 are a couple that immediately come to mind.

Or you can buy a 335i wich responds very well to standard bolt ons... just saying...
but as mango said i have quite a few friends with a manual m54 engine and they last a long time...
heck my 2001 325ci 5 speed has seen so much abuse i expected it to blow up a long time ago... Auto X, Drag Strip, Track Days, and a sh**load of spirited driving, at least once a month we go up Hyw 1 to fort brag, and its an hour of 4-5-6k RPM hard driving. My clutches last 40K tops, and stock brake pads last about 4 months in the front and 8 in the rear, and tires get replaced every 8 months. and the drivetrain is in great shape... The rest of the car is falling apart though... so i made a little bit of room in the sideyard, and I am going to do a slight overhaul on it.

you seem like a nice guy. but please stop with the upgrade this change that. trust me. you'll enjoy your e46 330ci for decades to come as it sits. you don't need to change a damn thing but oil, filters, gaskets, seals. all the typical stuff. everyone here runs their engines 200k and beyond just fine with just oil changes and cooling maintenance. Dmax and ///mpr77 are a couple that immediately come to mind.

Very true...and with a Mango Maintenance Regiment these cars will run 500k+

Truth is, these cars are fast enough for most owners abilities, and you can make your car much faster by learning to drive it better.

The problem with this, is that not many people for whatever reasons believe they need to improve their driving skills.

OP, I'm not saying you do not know how to drive, I'm saying most people don't know what their car is capable of, because they don't have a place to run it on the edge safely...which without such a place, how can one practice, and perfect.

Your car isn't an S4. Your transmission is designed to handle 300tq tops. As it is, they fail early. Pushing more power to it is just asking for trouble. then what are you going to do to put the power to the ground? brakes? then what about your subframe, do you know that with the proper tools, it takes about two days worth of constant work to reinforce it properly? how are your welding skills? what do you know about front subframe reinforcements? rtab pockets? how about the rear subframe itself (not talking the mounting locations), how about the 17 bushings in the rear, you planning on buying the $600 tool kit required to press/push new ones in? how bout your oil pump nut? do you know whats required to drop the front subframe? how about fuel and oil baffles?

Do not question. you will not be modding your E46. it's just not happening.

you seem like a nice guy. but please stop with the upgrade this change that. trust me. you'll enjoy your e46 330ci for decades to come as it sits. you don't need to change a damn thing but oil, filters, gaskets, seals. all the typical stuff. everyone here runs their engines 200k and beyond just fine with just oil changes and cooling maintenance. Dmax and ///mpr77 are a couple that immediately come to mind.

I told you like a thousand times, Mango, Michael and I are just Internet friends, same as me and you. We're not a couple.

Last year, he...he strayed. He put some non-OE part in his car...I can't even remember what it was now...but that totally changed the way I felt about him afterwards. You can understand that, right?

OP...sorry...just wanted to clear that up.

Be careful, OP...whatever you're planning...good luck. From the title, I'm afraid to read the whole thread...but if Mango doesn't approve, it would be worth your while to reconsider.

I'm of the serious 'stock' variety here, and I've just passed the dark side of the moon...around 240K miles. I've done more than oil and cooling.

Gummi pfleging, for instance. Drewdown used to like having that rubbed on him, but I kept trying to tell him it was only for external use.

I told you like a thousand times, Mango, Michael and I are just Internet friends, same as me and you. We're not a couple. I'm of the serious 'stock' variety here, and I've just passed the dark side of the moon...around 240K miles. I've done more than oil and cooling.

Although Mango and I have met, I know I'm am not his or Doug's type, I mean how awkward would that be?
My crass matte black paint and Doug's green tires...

Or Mangos museumesque beauty of a 3 series which I have seen in person, and is as mint as the pics he posts.

Internet friends might be a bit of downplay though, or do I just have high hopes?

Although Mango and I have met, I know I'm am not his or Doug's type, I mean how awkward would that be?
My crass matte black paint and Doug's green tires...

Or Mangos museumesque beauty of a 3 series which I have seen in person, and is as mint as the pics he posts.

Internet friends might be a bit of downplay though, or do I just have high hopes?

Thanks, ///MPR. My car looked like sh!t that day. I've been letting it get dirty the past month cause I bought this new wax I wanted to try out and was just waiting for a few hours of time to open up so i can get er done. I did it last night. great results!

Thank you too Doug (I think) We're all friends. One day we'll all annoint our heads with coolant and sit down and talk about the finer things in life. Maybe we'll sacrifice a beagle or two. who knows?

I hear doug is catching a ride with Jake to bimmerfest 2013. i'm bunkin' with doug. that's all i know.

Eh, not quite. Once you supercharge an E46 (330 even more so), you've just opened up a whole new can of worms and just exposed known weakspots to be even weaker. Subframe mounting area, oil pump nut, transmission to some extent (whether auto or manual)